For the diabetic who has taken in the appropriate amount of carbohydrates to handle their hypoglycemia, this is often not enough to reduce their appetite. The reason our appetite continues is because our fat tissues don’t tell the brain that it is time to stop eating till our blood sugars return to normal. That causes the neuropeptides to continue to be released into the body. Therefore, enforcing the message “I am hungry” while the appetite suppressant fails to release.

 

The lower the blood glucose goes and the longer the blood glucose stays low, the stronger the feeling of hunger grows. During this process, the majority of people with diabetes feel like they are starving and fear that they will go into a hypoglycemic coma. In many ways, that is exactly what the body is telling the brain.

 

Since the appetite suppressant doesn’t get released until blood glucose levels return to normal, people with diabetes tend to binge during this period. This is natural and normal considering the biological circumstance.

 

The brain is tricked into thinking it needs to eat more to respond to how low the blood glucose level goes and the length of time it takes to recover.

 

Furthermore, it is difficult to think properly during this period (as you probably know!), because low blood glucose levels impair thinking. This is due to a lack of glucose and an increase in oxygen to the brain.

 

Basically, low blood glucose levels hijack the brain, our survival instincts kick in, and we start to binge—and that’s not your fault.

 

Stopping the Diabetic Binge Is Difficult

Trying to stop a diabetic binge is like trying to keep your hand on a hot stove—it’s very difficult and against your natural instinct.

 

Our body’s natural instinct is to withdraw the hand when we feel the heat; your body’s natural instinct when your brain is receiving the “hungry” message is to eat. Even when you know you have counteracted the hypoglycemic reaction (with food, a glucose tablet, or juice, for example), it is difficult to make yourself stop eating—because your brain is still receiving that “hungry” message.

 

Your body and brain remain on high alert in an effort to raise those blood glucose levels, pushing you to eat in the same way that the brain tells the hand to pull away from the hot stove.

 

Diabetic Binge Prevention

The first way to reduce diabetic bingeing and the quantity of hypoglycemic reactions is to maintain well-controlled blood glucose levels. The more your blood glucose levels fluctuate, the greater the impact reactions will have on the body’s natural process to keep itself fueled—and the higher the risk of hypoglycemia.

 

It’s important to acknowledge that every person with diabetes has hypoglycemic reactions. With that said, to prevent binge eating during a hypoglycemic reaction, you should realize what a difficult task this is and that willpower will be a major part of the equation. In Alcoholics Anonymous, it’s called “white-knuckling,” but not everyone can stop the binge.

 

Even for those who can, there will be times when it will get the better of them. So, regardless of which category you fit into, you need to have a plan for when it occurs. Start by testing your blood glucose levels often. The levels shown below indicate the risk of bingeing based on glucose levels:

 

• 70 mg/dL, (Low risk of bingeing)
• 60 mg/dL, (Medium risk of bingeing)
• 50 mg/dL, (High risk of bingeing)
• 40 mg/dL or below (Very high risk of bingeing)

 

For the “low risk of bingeing” category, just eat a small snack of your choosing or take some glucose tablets and retest 15 minutes later. As the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends, “If SMBG 15 min after treatment shows continued hypoglycemia, the treatment should be repeated. Once SMBG glucose returns to normal, the individual should consume a meal or snack to prevent recurrence of hypoglycemia.”1

 

For the “medium risk of bingeing,” you should be aware and take care of your reaction as you normally would.

 

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My therapy practice was created to help anyone living with diabetes. If believe you might be struggling with Binge Eating and need help, Please call (917) 272-4829 for more information or to schedule your first Diabetes-Focused Psychotherapy® Session.

 

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Medical Disclaimer:

All the advice included in this blog is therapeutic in nature and should not be considered medical advice. Before making any changes to your diabetes maintenance program, please consult with your primary physician or endocrinologist.